Houston Professorship

The purpose of this professorship is to support the Bio-medical program at Murray
State University. This position will be in the Department of Biological Sciences of
the College of Science, Engineering and Technology.

The professorship was vacant during 2008-09. The endowment threshold has not been
attained. The current plan is to fill the position as soon as the earnings from the
endowment reach a level sufficient to attract a senior ranking, nationally recognized
bio-medical professor.

The presence of a prominent bio-medical researcher will further enhance the high-quality
bio-medical program at Murray State University. This nationally recognized faculty
member will assist the bio-medical faculty of Murray State’s Howard Hughes Medical
Institute in such activities as instruction, advising, curriculum development, research
and securing external funding. Such funding will be used for equipment purchases,
faculty release time, conference travel, student recruitment, support of student research
and the establishment of seminars and events beneficial to pre-medicine students and
faculty.

The addition of a prominent bio-medical faculty member will enable greater recruitment,
retention and graduate placement of pre-med students. Recruiting, retaining and matriculating
bright students will promote program loyalty and, often, a return to practice in Kentucky.